The present invention relates to a device that provides a means for fastening and/or securing items and accessories by means of tension on an expanded portion inserted between slats.
Outdoor decks are typically constructed of {fraction (5/4)}xe2x80x3 wood or composite deck boards over a structural grid. The typically recommended standard for spacing these boards is xe2x80x9cthe size of a 16d nailxe2x80x9d or roughly {fraction (3/16)}xe2x80x3, to allow for proper drainage of water from the deck surface and to account for shrinkage of the deck boards themselves. Through aging, and as a result of board and installation tolerances, the actual spacing may vary somewhat.
Completed decks are used for a variety of residential and/or commercial activities. Decks create more recreational space and extend indoor areas outside. During the summer months, decks often become the central entertaining space in the home, alternating as substitute dining rooms, living rooms, and family rooms. Decks are built as elaborate architectural showpieces, intimate private balconies, family gathering spaces, or simply fair weather fun spots around pools or gardens, just about anywhere people desire outdoor recreational space. These decks are subsequently outfitted with various types of patio furniture and other outdoor living accessories. It is these accessories that are subject to unexpected changes in position that may result in injury to occupants of the deck or property and/or other collateral damage.
Securing outdoor furniture or other recreational or decorative items to the surface of the deck is typically performed using permanent options (i.e., eye hooks, screws, nails) that are unsightly and are invasive to the structure of the deck itself.
Decks are similar in construction to docks and piers. A number of devices have been proposed for mooring of vessels. Moorings are almost always temporary.
See, U.S. Pat. Nos. D29,041; D58,112; D175,485; D205,682; D273,176; D321,470; D411,099; D427,506; 849,023; 1,967,427; 2,265,330; 2,688,289; 3,259,346; 3,381,925; 3,704,875; 4,235,409; 4,297,963; 4,344,378; 4,803,794; 5,120,016; 5,542,367; 5,625,974; 5,690,042; 5,733,082; 5,873,319; 5,941,191; 5,967,075; 6,295,942; and 6,497,067, each of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a temporary and easily removable device requiring no tools to install, that is designed to protect the occupants and accessories of the deck by safely, conveniently, and economically providing a anchoring point to which items such as patio furniture, barbecue grills, poolside accessories, and any other unsecured items that might occupy a deck may then be secured through the use of a secondary tie down cord or other strap.
According to a preferred design, an axially enlarged portion of a tie down device, spaced from a body of the device by an extension, is inserted between slats of a deck, and then turned, so that the enlarged portion engages the boards, and therefore cannot be retracted when under tension. However, when tension is released, the tie town may then be turned so that the axially enlarged portion aligns with the gaps between boards, and may then be retracted.
The tie down is preferably configured such that, when under tension along the thickness axis of the boards, it pivots such that the deck boards are compressed between the axially enlarged portion and a top engaging portion, thus locking the tie down in position, for example to prevent twisting. Thus, in contrast to typical mooring device designs, the tie down is not required to have a lateral force to compressively engage the dock boards.
Preferably, when under axial tension, a narrow portion of the body of the device, distal from the extension, is inserted in the gap between the slats, to further resist twisting or rotation.
Thus, a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an axially enlarged portion spaced from a body by an extension, a tensile portion adapted for applying a tension from an object to be retained, a top engaging portion, and a narrow portion of the body.
The top engaging portion preferably comprises a fulcrum, which acts as a leading contact surface against the top of the boards, and a stop surface, which limits rotation of the tie down device about the fulcrum. The narrow body portion extends downward, from the remainder of the body, toward the axially enlarged portion, from the stop surface. The tensile portion defines an aperture located opposite the narrow portion of the body with respect to the fulcrum, spaced from the fulcrum such that, when the tie down is under tension, and therefore pivots to engage the axially enlarged portion and fulcrum against the upper and lower board surfaces, the aperture is between the axially enlarged portion and the fulcrum with respect to a projection along the thickness axis of the boards. Of course, if the deck varies from a nominal thickness, e.g., {fraction (5/4)}xe2x80x3, then the position of the aperture along the aforementioned projection will deviate.
The tie down may be formed of metal, such as steel or aluminum, or engineered resins, such as nylon (e.g., Nylon 6,6), Tefzel(copyright), Zytel(copyright), ABS, polypropylene, copolymers, filled resins, composites or multicomponent construction. Preferably, the tie down is integral, and after fabrication is a single component.
A particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention advantageously provides a small, no-tools-required device constructed of weather and UV resistant glass-filled nylon, for example produced by an injection molding process, that is inserted into the gaps between the deck boards of any conventionally constructed outdoor deck, then used to secure any items on the surface of the deck and prevent unexpected shifting or moving due to wind, weather, or any other force. The lower body portion is inserted through the structural spacing (gap) between any two deck boards of a conventionally constructed outdoor deck, rotated until the top body portion is in line with the gap and the locking tab and wings are perpendicular with the same gap, then the device is released. The integral loop on its forward end then allows for attachment of any standard elastic tie-down cord. Once tension is applied and maintained in an upward draw via the elastic cord attached to the integral loop, the device is locked in place and prevented from twisting, thus securing whatever item is being held in place by the attached elastic cord.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a tie down device for engaging between spaced parallel slats, have a nominal thickness and spacing, comprising a shaft, having a first end and a second end, and an axis, having a length greater than the nominal thickness of the slats, and a diameter less than the slat spacing; an axially elongated portion, located at the first end of the shaft, comprising at least one member extending for a distance greater than the slat spacing at right angles from the axis of the shaft length, and having a thickness of less than the slat spacing; a body portion, located at the second end of the shaft, having a stop surface, an attachment region, and a stabilizer, extending from the stop surface toward the axially elongated portion, being displaced from the axis of the shaft, and having a thickness less than the slat spacing, the attachment region is located on the body on an opposite side with respect to the stabilizer, and offset from the axis of the shaft, wherein the stop surface is oriented with respect to the axially elongated portion such that, when a force is applied to the attachment region along a thickness axis of the slats, the stabilizer is inserted within the spacing between the slats to an extent limited by the stop surface acting on the slats.
The attachment portion may comprise an aperture through the body, or a fixture extending from the body. Preferably, the attachment portion is displaced from the axis of the shaft by a distance approximately equal to a length of the shaft.
The device may further comprise a fulcrum, defined by a medial edge of the stop surface, the fulcrum extending to the second end of the shaft.
The slat spacing is preferably approximately {fraction (3/16)}xe2x80x3, while the slat thickness is preferably a nominal {fraction (5/4)}xe2x80x3 (actual about 1.0xe2x80x3). 
In a preferred embodiment, the shaft is about 1.25xe2x80x3, the axially elongated portion and the stop surface each extend at least 0.75xe2x80x3 from the shaft in each of opposite directions, at right angles to the stabilizer, and the stabilizer extends at least 0.50xe2x80x3 into a space between the slats.
The device is preferably integral, and may be formed of metal, plastic, composites, or other suitable materials having sufficient strength, durability, and environmental properties. The device is preferably suitable for supplying a retaining force of at least 25 lbs. The device, for example, may be injection molded from a polymer, such as Nylon 6,6, which may be ultraviolet stabilized and glass filled. The device, in certain embodiment, may also be wire-formed, forged, die cast, sintered (e.g., from powdered metal), metal injection molded, metal powder casting; thermoformed, thermoset, machined, composite, or the like. According to one embodiment, the shaft is formed of a high tensile strength steel cable, which is overmolded with a plastic. One end of the cable is affixed to the axially elongated extension, and the other may be integral with the body or presented as a loop for the attachment portion.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tie down device for coupling a strap to a deck formed of spaced parallel slats, comprising a high tensile strength shaft, adapted for insertion between slats; an extension from the shaft at right angles to an axis of the shaft, extending at least a spacing width of the slats from the axis; a fulcrum, at an end of the shaft opposite the extension, merging into a stop surface extending from the shaft along an axis parallel to the extension; an attachment portion located axially displaced from a centerline of the shaft; and a stabilizer, extending from the stop surface toward the extension, on an opposite side of the fulcrum with respect to the attachment portion, at right angles to the fulcrum and at right angles to the shaft, adapted to extend into a space between slats when a force is applied to the attachment portion and to potentially clear the space between slats when no force is applied.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a tie down device, comprising a high tensile strength shaft, having a diameter less than about {fraction (3/16)}xe2x80x3; a portion extending at least about {fraction (3/16)}xe2x80x3 from the shaft at right angles to an axis of the shaft; a surface, at an end of the shaft opposite the portion, extending at least about {fraction (3/16)}xe2x80x3 along an axis parallel to the extension; an attachment portion located axially displaced from a centerline of the shaft; and a stabilizer, at an end of the shaft opposite the portion, extending at least about {fraction (3/16)}xe2x80x3 along an axis at right angles to the extension and the axis of the shaft. The nominal dimensions of the device are, of course, related to the structure to which it is affixed, and therefore a nominal variation in slot width and depth will result in a variance in preferred device dimensions.